1 Timothy 4:9

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.—Again we have the striking formula which always calls attention to some great truth which, in the Church of the first days, had already obtained among the congregations a broad, if not a universal currency, as one of the great watchwords of the faith. Now we find one of these taken apparently from a Christian hymn, now from one of the public prayers or thanksgivings. The “faithful saying,” in this instance, was that “godliness,” that is, “active, living piety,” is profitable for all things, seeing it has the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

Benson Commentary

1 Timothy 4:9-11. This — Concerning the advantage of godliness; is a faithful saying — A saying as important as it is true; and worthy of all acceptation — That is, of entire credit, and of the most earnest and continued attention and regard. For, therefore — On this account, because we are assured of the excellence and necessity of this godliness, and of the advantages attending it in time and in eternity; we both labour and suffer reproach — Take all manner of pains, and undergo all kinds of hardships, regarding neither wealth, nor honour, nor pleasure, nor any thing this world can offer; because we trust — Ηλπικαμεν, we have trusted, and at present do trust, (the word denoting continuation of action,) in the living God — Rest on him for the performance of his promises, fully persuaded he will give the life and felicity he has promised; who is the Saviour of all men — Saving them from many evils, and supplying them with manifold mercies; preserving them in this life, and willing to save them eternally; but especially — In a more eminent manner, is he the Saviour of those that believe — Saving them from their sins here, and from the consequences of them hereafter. These things command and teach — For they are of infinite importance.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

4:6-10 Outward acts of self-denial profit little. What will it avail us to mortify the body, if we do not mortify sin? No diligence in mere outward things could be of much use. The gain of godliness lies much in the promise; and the promises to godly people relate partly to the life that now is, but especially to the life which is to come: though we lose for Christ, we shall not lose by him. If Christ be thus the Saviour of all men, then much more will he be the Rewarder of those who seek and serve him; he will provide well for those whom he has made new creatures.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This is a faithful saying - see the notes on 1 Timothy 1:15.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9. (1Ti 1:15). This verse (Greek), "faithful is the saying, " &c. confirms the assertion as to the "promise" attached to "godliness," 1Ti 4:8, and forms a prefatory introduction to 1Ti 4:10, which is joined to 1Ti 4:9 by "For." So 2Ti 2:11. Godly men seem to suffer loss as to this life: Paul hereby refutes the notion [Bengel]. "God is the Saviour specially of those that believe" (1Ti 4:10), both as to "the life that now is," and also as to "the life which is to come" (1Ti 4:8).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

This saying about the advantage of godliness is true, and worthy to be received of all men. See the notes on 1 Timothy 1:15, where the same words are applied to the great proposition of the gospel: That Christ came into the world to save sinners. That Christ came into the world to save sinners, and that such sinners as from ungodly will become godly, and persevere in the practice of godliness, shall be happy in this life, and saved in the life to come, are two faithful and remarkable sayings, worthy the acceptation of all reasonable creatures.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

This is a faithful saying,.... A true one, and to be believed, that godliness has such promises annexed to it; see 1 Peter 3:10.

and worthy of all acceptation; by all godly persons, to encourage them to the exercise of godliness.

Geneva Study Bible

{13} This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

(13) He goes a little from his matter, and shows that those who give themselves to godliness, even though they are afflicted and reproached, are nonetheless not to be considered miserable as other men are, because they are not afflicted for that reason that other men are, and the end of them both is far different one from the other. For how can God forsake his own, who is bountiful even towards his enemies? And he wishes that this doctrine is well learned by them.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

1 Timothy 4:9 serves to strengthen the expression immediately preceding (not the thought in 1 Timothy 3:16, against Heinrichs), whereas in 1 Timothy 1:15 (comp. also 1 Timothy 3:1) the same words refer to what follows. The γάρ in 1 Timothy 4:10 prevents us from connecting them with what comes next. It is no less unsuitable to refer them, as Hofmann does, to the ὅτι following, and to regard εἰς τοῦτο … as a parenthesis. This connection is opposed not only by the harshness of the construction, but also by the consideration that, as a matter of fact, the conduct of the Christian, viz. ἠλπικέναι κ.τ.λ., needed for Timothy no such confirmation as is given in these words.[162]

[162] This difficulty is concealed in Hofmann by laying the emphasis on Θεῷ ζῶντι, so that πιστὸς ὁ λόγος κ.τ.λ. is to refer to the thought that God is a living God.

Expositor's Greek Testament

1 Timothy 4:9. πιστὸς—ἄξιος: This is parenthetical and retrospective. The teaching of 1 Timothy 4:8 is the λόγος. So Chrys.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. This is a faithful saying] R.V. again, Faithful is the saying, following the Greek construction. But ‘It is a faithful saying,’ is equally correct according to English idiom. The A.V. and R.V. end the verse with a full stop, leaving us apparently little liberty to make 1 Timothy 4:10 the ‘faithful saying.’ On the other hand A.V. (Parallel N.T.) gives a colon; and Drs Westcott and Hort alter the colon into a comma, as Conybeare gives it, Faithful is the saying and worthy of all acceptance,—‘For to this end we endure labour &c.’ Bp Ellicott’s objection to this, that the ‘for’ must be the Apostle’s and not part of the quotation, is set aside by the undoubted quotation from Aratus made by St Paul on Mars’ hill, Acts 17:28, ‘For we are also his offspring:’ see the beginning of his Phaenomena:

‘We need him all,

For we are e’en his offspring.’

Bengel's Gnomen

1 Timothy 4:9. Πιστὸς, faithful) The following verse is joined to this short preface by the for, as in 2 Timothy 2:11. Godly men appear often to suffer loss with respect to the enjoyment of the present life. Paul refutes this notion.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - Faithful is the saying for this is a faithful saying, A.V. (1 Timothy 1:15, note). Here, however, the πιστὸς λόγος is that which precedes, viz. that "godliness is profitable for all things," etc., which we thus learn was a proverbial saying. 1 Timothy 4:9